12 Awesome Things Funders Do

We at TWI are in full agreement with Vu Le‘s recent post about 12 Things Funders Do right.  In fact, many of the 12 show up on TWI’s own compendium of 9 Practices of Trust-based Investment.  In a side by side comparison, it’s clear that respect, transparency, partnering in a true spirit of service, feedback loops, timely and honest communication, and, of course, multi-year unrestricted funding are core to each set.

So, Vu, you’re welcome, and TWI hopes to succeed in our diabolical plan to convince fellow funders that not only does it demonstrate equity to practice this way, it can actually lead to better and more satisfying outcomes all around.  Without further ado, here is Vu’s hilarious and true list of 12 awesome things you, as a funder or donor, could be doing right now…

Holding info sessions and being thoughtful about them: We really appreciate it when funders hold info sessions when a new RFP is released. It’s great to get questions answered, because let’s face it, some of us won’t review the 30-page RFP until a week before the grant is due, and then we’ll fall asleep by page 3. It’s also nice to be able to meet you in person. Also, it’s great to see who else is applying, so that we can start thinking about collaborating with them…or failing that, finding ways to destroy them. Big thanks to the foundations that hold multiple sessions, and have them out in the community, and have great snacks that include at least one variety of olives.

Keeping everything simple: “I’m hugely appreciative of the ones who keep it simple–asking for narrative and budget thank you the end.” We really love foundations who don’t require upfront separate attachments for theory of change, logic model, questionnaires, flow charts, signature from the board chair, proof of insurance, resumes, full job descriptions, MOUs, letters of support, IQ test results, favorite casserole recipes, dental records, astrological readings for lead staff, and last will and testament. Also the ones that allow us to just use whatever budget format we have instead of having to translate it to the foundation’s format. This saves so much time and aggravation.

Having a clear timeline that you stick to: Says a colleague, “When is the LOI due? When will we know we can submit? When is the application due? When will we know if we are awarded a grant? And when will the check be sent? Having that spelled out in the grant information is so helpful. You’re not just sitting and wondering.” Thank you, foundations that have all of these things clear and written down and implemented as described.

Being approachable and accessible. Thanks to funding dynamics, program officers always seem so distant and unapproachable, like certain people on OK Cupid whom we can only stare at and daydream about. We are really appreciative of program officers who are down-to-earth, who answer phone calls, who are willing to meet, who genuinely want to build a relationship with us. Even when someone can’t help us, or it’s bad news on a grant decision, it’s just really nice when people call/email us back in a timely manner. It lessens the crippling existential crises that so often mark the funding process (“What is the meaning of life? Why am I doing this? If I am not funded, do I still exist?”)

Working as true partners and looking out for us: Says a colleague, “We reached out to the ED of a foundation when we were in his city. Not only did he agree to meet with us, he volunteered to read our LOI and give us feedback before we submitted it.” Another colleague writes, “My fave foundation meets with us first and has a long conversation about our capacity and organizational needs. Once we identify what our most pressing need is—software? Training? New hummus platters?—they invite us to develop a proposal around THAT. It’s truly focused on what YOU need most!” I’ve had program officers who said, “It seems like you didn’t calculate enough indirect expenses into your budget. You should increase it, and increase your ask.” We appreciate the funders who treat nonprofits like important partners, who are patient, kind, and supportive; you make our difficult work easier.

Gathering feedback, acting on it, and being transparent: Funders who take time to gather feedback from grantees, and then change their practices based on what they hear, are downright sexy. Says a colleague, “A couple months after being rejected by a small family foundation, we received a request to take a survey on their grant application process – website navigation, accessibility of program officer, whether the directions were clear and easy to follow, etc. It felt great to know that even though they couldn’t fund our program, they still valued our opinion.” You get extra points if you publish these findings along with a plan for changing priorities and practices based on input.

Giving honest feedback: “I am always encouraged when a program officer gives you an honest appraisal of why your application was rejected.” Like with job interviews, it’s very helpful to get genuine, honest feedback, instead of the usual, “We had a lot of candidates, we had to choose the one who had the best matching qualifications.” That may be true, but I realize that just sounds like, “We have a lot of liabilities, and therefore we can’t give you any actual useful feedback at all. You will die haunted by not knowing what you could have done better.”

Respecting our time: I recently participated in a focus group for a project a foundation was doing. The 90-minute focus group was on the phone to save everyone’s time, and at the end every participant got $150 as a donation to their organization. That’s not a lot of money, but it’s a really thoughtful gesture that shows the foundation is valuing our time. Actually, for us small nonprofits, that is a lot of money. I bought two metal filing cabinets with that money. New ones. Not rusty ones from Craigslist that require tetanus shots before using.

Introducing us to other funders: “Our agency has provided legal representation for unaccompanied minors from Central America for over ten years. Last year of course there were unprecedented numbers of children. Our numbers of kids helped shot up with no increase in resources. One local Foundation hosted an event where we were able to present to multiple foundations simultaneously. We raised enough money to hire a lawyer dedicated to do those cases.” Funders know other funders. Huge thanks to those who take time to make introductions or to encourage their colleagues to meet with organizations that may align with their priorities.

Developing relationships with program staff: “I recall a funder who asked for a site visit and meeting. He said something like ‘…you’re great to talk to (I was the development officer) but I would like to sit with the program staff who are directly facing your clients.’ That was refreshing and the meeting and outcomes were very positive for agency.” Thank you, foundations that take time to understand all facets of an organization and get to know staff besides just the ED; this is also very strategic, as, unfortunately, EDs don’t last long.

Trusting us nonprofits and allowing us to do our jobs: Funders who have simple grant report requirements, who don’t make us account for every staple that their specific dollars paid for, who streamline processes, who don’t make us waste time that should be spent fulfilling our missions—thank you. We appreciate it “when a foundation says, We’re not going to tell you how to do your job–and mean it!”

Providing multi-year, general operating funds: Of course, no list of awesome foundation practices will be complete without recognizing foundations that provide multi-year general operating funds, the holy grail of funding and the most effective way to allow nonprofit staff to focus our time on our missions instead of counting pennies and tearing out our hair. These funders, I’ve noticed, tend to not get a lot of recognition. If your foundation provides multi-year gen-op, you are awesome; in fact, you are the wind beneath our wings.